I am from Exeter

From moving place to place

In search of a better home

I am from white condos 

And cement backyards

I am from baby dolls, barbies

And twinkies in their little plastic cases

I am from Clifford The Big Red Dog

The red fur reminded me of Elmo

So sometimes I would get confused on what I was watching

I am from Tedeschi’s corner store

From playing red light, green light in the field

I am from asking my mom to do my laundry

And hugging the warm clothes once they came out of the dryer

From the apple cinnamon wax melts and my Hannah Montana blanket that smells like home

I am from watching my mother rush around the kitchen

To Taylor burning his hand on the toaster oven door

Which shouldn’t have been there, he says 

I am from Y8 games and dress up games that made me want the clothes that the girls had 

I am from crash bandicoot games and wii sports with my siblings

From four square and manhunt with the neighborhood kids

To my dad telling me the next day that I have to learn to like school

I am from sledding down the big hill across from the frozen lake 

And crying for my big sister to come back when she left for home

From regular thanksgiving dinners to spitting out the ham after trying it

I am from going to different cities with my sister for concerts

From going to Connecticut to see our favorite band

I am from getting presents and my huge stuffed yellow duck

To my aunt taking my sister, my two cousins and I to the beach every summer

I am from watching makeup artists and being inspired by them

To wanting to go into film instead

I am from falls, scrapes and big cuts

That bled all the way down to who I am now

I know nothing is as big as it seems